Senegal U20 coach Malick Daf has expressed his unwavering support for Nigeria’s Flying Eagles as they prepare to face off against tournament hosts Argentina in the Round of 16 clash at the FIFA U20 World Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.
Senegal, the reigning African champions, were eliminated from the competition after failing to secure a victory in the group-stage games held in Argentina.
Daf’s faith in the Nigerian team stems from their previous encounter at the AFCON U20 in Egypt, where Senegal emerged victorious.
Acknowledging the quality of the Flying Eagles, Daf believes they possess the necessary attributes to upset the South American giants.
Argentina, the favourites going into this match, comfortably topped Group A by winning all three of their games, scoring an impressive ten goals while conceding only one.
With a record six titles to their name, the Argentines are the most successful nation in the history of this prestigious tournament.
However, Daf emphasized Nigeria’s strengths, describing them as a team with exceptional players who are quick and possess considerable strength.
While expressing optimism about Nigeria’s chances, he cautioned that playing against Argentina on their home turf could pose a significant challenge due to the overwhelming support of the local fans.
“Nigeria has good players, very quick and strong,” Daf told Brila FM.
“Nigeria can win because Argentina isn’t a very strong team, but it could be very complicated because they are playing at home; I wish Nigeria all the best.”
As the highly anticipated Round of 16 clash looms, all eyes will be on the Flying Eagles to see if they can capitalize on Daf’s belief in their abilities and deliver a shocking defeat to the tournament hosts.
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